


Ailuranthropy

by LunaMarr



Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Age Difference, Beta Wanted, But it's not beastility, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Harvey can't admit he's lonely, Magic bloodline, Minor Violence, Older Man/Younger Woman, Shapeshifting, Size Difference, Slow Burn, The one where Harvey's girlfriend is a cat, Touch-Starved, because Harvey is the tallest sprite in game, i'm not patient enough, well slowish burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-19
Updated: 2020-06-30
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:21:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,994
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24275011
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LunaMarr/pseuds/LunaMarr
Summary: Selene doesn't know what to expect when she moves back to her ancestral home on Yewgrove farm, but she gains more than her expected inheritance. Meanwhile Doctor Harvey tries to maintain a professional distance, and decides a pet is the only way to stop the loneliness.Updates planned for every other Monday.
Relationships: Female Farmer/Harvey, Harvey/Female Player (Stardew Valley)
Comments: 12
Kudos: 39





	1. An Unintentional Roommate

~O~

“Relax Sebastian, I’ll do my absolute best to ensure young miss Abigail’s well being.” Harvey huffed, swiping at some sweat that had formed on his brow. He was once again reminded of how just out of shape he was. The young man in question kept running up ahead of him, his normally somber face replaced with worry. He pushed a branch out of his way and it snapped back into place with a _thwack_!

Harvey hissed and rubbed away the sting; straightening his glasses and catching Sebastian's wince with the flashlight.  
  


“Sorry doctor,” he mumbled. A particularly deep puddle of water soaked through his slippers and he cringed at the feeling. He took in the bottom of his pajama pants with a sigh. He didn’t think any amount of soap would remove the mud that adorned them. Maybe he should talk to Jodi…  
  
“Seb! Is that you?” Sebastian broke into a sprint, vaulting a log and Harvey followed panting, heaving himself and his briefcase over the same.  
  
“Abby! Are you alright?” He asked, cupping her cheek. She nodded, a rosiness in her cheeks that hadn’t been there a moment ago. Harvey adjusted his glasses before running his eyes to the injury in question, a supposedly broken ankle.  
  
“Abigail, could you explain what happened?” He gently pulled off her boot and sock to reveal the soft skin of her ankle. He tested the roll of it while she nodded.  
  
“Doctor Harvey it was horrible…Seb and I were just out, um, taking a walk when I suddenly heard this loud noise. We were startled and started running, and I tripped on a log and twisted my ankle.” She looked down, eyes turning glassy, a quiver in her lip.  
  
His mustache quirked down in irritation.

“Well, your ankle seems to be fine now, you might have a slight bruise in the morning, but no harm done. Sebastian, do you think you could light the way while I help Miss Abigail out of this thicket?” Abigail blushed hard and he nodded numbly, already heading back in the direction they had come. Harvey stood, leaning close to help take some of her weight.

“Just so you know Abigail, I can tell you and Sebastian were not simply out on a late-night stroll.” He whispered under his breathe. Abigail blanched but continued to look ahead, staring at Sebastian’s back.

“The dust on your clothes, the splinters in your shoelaces, that you both have flashlights and the hammer Sebastian is trying to keep hidden in his hoodie pocket. You were both hanging around old Yewgrove farm again weren’t you?” She winced, caught and focused on her feet.

“You’re not going to tell my dad are you?” She whispered.  
  
“Let’s just say that’s my prerogative. I don’t want to see or hear about any more late-night adventures in the woods or in the mines understand?”  
  
“Okay doc, fine. No more exploring.” She groaned. He helped her through the last of the brush and swept his clothes clean.

“Sebastian I trust you can help Abigail back to her home?”

He nodded eagerly, taking her arm over his shoulder, a pink flush rising on his neck just barely visible in the moonlight.

“What about you Sir?”

“Don’t worry about me, I’ll head home shortly.” He shuffled as he watched them depart, slowly trekking down the trail. He turned away, pushing past trees and further tearing his pants on underbrush. The old farmhouse came into view. In the past two years since Farmer Le Doux had passed the home had become a popular place for the local youth, and rumors of it being haunted floated around town. He carefully climbed the steps, running his hand along the old railing. The door was unlocked and ajar, and he ran a thumb across the old brass style door knocker. Wooden planks that had not long ago blocked the entrance were piled haphazardly on the stoop. He stepped inside, taking in the room. In his later years the farmer had begun to lose mobility, and parts of the home had suffered for it. Across the way a great fireplace stood, and sure enough there was a hole the size of Abigail’s foot in the floor boards where it had grown weak. He approached carefully, testing its weight and when it held, he knelt forward to close the flume and keep the elements at bay. He went to stood and noticed something glint in the light of his flashlight, making him smack his head on the hearth in the process.

Hissing through his teeth, he knelt and plucked a broken frame from the ashes. The thin gold seemed worse for wear, having come apart when it fell, and poking out from underneath he found a picture. He swept the soot from it and just barely made out a glimpse of creamy flesh and a grin, and eagerly swiped the rest off to reveal a young woman. She was stunning. Thick dark waves swept softly around her sweet face. Her doe-like eyes were frozen mid giggle, one arm around the shoulder of a face he recognized. Farmer Le Doux stared back with a grin, a few years before his illness became symptomatic.  
  
A granddaughter? His thumb caressed the line of her jaw and he felt a pang of sadness. Where was she now if not in her ancestral home? He had been there at the farmers funeral, sad but relieved that he was no longer in pain. Had she been there? He struggled to remember, but everything ran the same in his memory.  
  
Wake up alone. Put on a suit, perform his duties in the clinic, most often meaning hours of paperwork and reading. Attend a funeral, come home and watch his microwave meal spin in a circle for 3 minutes and 30 seconds. Eat, teeth, shower, bed. Rinse and repeat.  
  


He was a pathetic man, and a small worm of guilt niggled in the back of his mind.  
  
His thumb ran across the picture one more time before he tucked it into his house robe pocket. It would be a shame to leave it here, to rot in this hole that once held so much life.

A damn shame.

He walked through his apartment door wearily, dropping his briefcase and slipping off his shoes. He’d clean them when they dried. He tapped the alarm clock by his bed and deflated. Four am. He wasn’t going to get any more sleep tonight. With a sigh of resignation, he sat down at his desk, the remnants of a plane he’d been working on for months sitting untouched. He had lacked the energy and drive to even finish it at this point, and he swept it aside. Pulling out his glue, some cleansing fluid and a few cotton swabs, he went to work on cleaning the frame. With practiced hands he glued the delicate edges back together, and once it was dry he placed the clean picture, sans glass, into the frame.  
  
Beautiful. He hummed with satisfaction. Hesitantly he placed the picture on the mantel, right next to the Z2 Freedom fighter. It wasn’t stealing to salvage the creation…but there was no rush, right? It was just going to sit and collect dust again, maybe fall again and break his hard work. He tried to ignore how his eyes kept drawing back to the picture while he made his morning cuppa.  
  
Maybe it was strange how one picture made his entire apartment feel a little homier. Like coming back to a home and seeing the smiling faces of family and friends on the walls.

His morning routine passed quickly without him even realizing it. Shave down the little stubble that had come in overnight, avoiding the trimmed mustache that had taken him months to grow properly. Change out of his dirty pajamas, throw them in the wash to be changed over during his lunch break. Another coffee. He shrugged on his coat and pulled a pair of worn leather brogues over his socks. Another Monday, another day of sitting behind the desk for hours, reviewing paperwork, and another day of being alone. He threw another glance at the photo before leaving, giving a small smile to his unintentional roommate.

~O~

Personally, I like to imagine my Harvey as a cross between Ben Whishaw’s performances in “Skyfall,” and “Mary Poppins.” With his Skyfall hair and glasses, and Poppin’s moustache, I feel like he captures the baby-faced older man aesthetic so well.

Anyway, I haven’t written fanfiction since before I left for college, but now that I’m graduated, I want to get back into it. I’d super appreciate your feedback ;-; I feel like I don’t know how to fiction anymore. Too many research papers.


	2. A Fresh Start

Selene shivered, wrapping the blankets tighter around her head.  
  


She could feel the rocking sobs of her father reverberating from the floor below. Hear the comforting warble of her grandfather. Her mother had left the house hours ago, and her father had sent her to bed while fighting back tears. The door creaked open, a line of burnt orange cutting a path to her bed before her grandmother’s face replaced it.

“Sel sweetheart?” The woman eased into the room, carrying a candlestick. The soft light illuminated the crying girls face, and she sighed at the sight.

“Alright, scoot over my little junimo.” Sel scooched, sniffling as her grandma eased an arm around her shoulders.

“Tell me what’s troubling you little one.” She stroked the baby hairs from her face, soothing away the girl’s hiccups.

“Mom and dad are fighting again. And she left and hasn’t come back.” The old woman nodded, rubbing calming circles into the little girls’ shoulders.

“I don’t want her to leave. But I don’t want them to fight anymore either.” She nestled into her side, wetting her grandmothers nightdress.  
  
“Your mother and father have a big decision to make, and sometimes when you have a big decision to make, it can be hard to reach a compromise.”

“What sort of decision do they have to make?” She hugged her closer, kissing her forehead.

“I’m afraid that’s not for me to say sweetheart. But when they come to a decision, you’ll know. And you know what else?” She pulled her in close, giving her a playful squeeze.

“What grandma?”  
  
“Everything’s going to be fine. And If anything ever happened to them, your grandpa and I are right here for you.”  
  
“You’re sure?”  
  


“Promise. We’re not going anywhere little junimo.”

She began to hum, a light lilting thing that seemed to make the very air vibrate with warmth; and Selene slipped into a dreamless sleep.

~O~

The structure was a dark shadow of the warm home she remembered. The walk to the estate was quiet, as Lewis and Robin had turned back once they reached the edge of the property. What little she could see of the house that wasn’t covered in vines was clearly rotting. The shutters were falling off windows or missing entirely. When she finally made it to the small flower garden that had been her grandmothers’ pride and joy, she was horrified to see that the flower beds were overrun. Thorns and thicket had taken over the front, growing up railings and walls and blocking the trellis and swing that had once been covered in delicate wisteria. Even the large circular fountain that marked the entrance of the home was long dry and lost in the overgrowth. Beyond the house she could see that the yew trees had grown rampant, what once was farming land now forest.  
  
It nearly broke her heart.

The doorway was littered with wooden planks and rusty nails. She entered and out of habit switched on the light switch. When nothing happened, she set down her bag with a sigh. Better figure out where she would be sleeping.

~O~

“I don’t want to go.”

“Baby, please. We have to go-“

“Why? Grandpa said we were always welcome!”

“Because-“  
  
“Because why?”  
  


“SELENE.” She jumped at her father’s shout, and he grasped her firmly by her shoulders.

“Listen to me! Do you love your mommy and me? We can’t stay here. We have to move, and that means we all go together.”

“But, I want to stay here daddy. Why can’t we live here.” Her father winced, looking at the porch, the garden, the forest beyond. When he returned his eyes to hers’, they were wet.

“Because we love mommy, and mommy can’t stay here. And we don’t want mommy to be all alone do we?”  
  


~O~

She used a flashlight to light her way down the hall, tracing the peeling wallpaper. She passed the bathroom, the room that had once been her parents, and paused at what had once been her grandparents’ room. Her hand fingered the brass doorknob, which had long lost its shine, before she left it unopened. She approached the door that had been hers, not knowing what to expect. When she opened it, her heart lurched.

Everything was exactly the same. The pale pink wallpaper had faded but was still up where they had pasted it. The butterflies she had cut out of magazines with her grandmother, that she had helped her grandfather tack to the wall were still there. Unchanged. Her bed covered in dusty sheet unmoved. Still at the base of her bed, the large steamer trunk she used to climb into and play submarine.

She sank into the dust and let herself cry for a long time.

~O~

“Anything new happening honey?”

“Not really, just school and stuff. “

“And your parents? Are they doing okay?”

“Yeah grandma. They’re fine, they’re going out to a show later.”

“Well that’s good. And what about you?”

“I’m fine, going to do homework then bed.” The silence hung, until it grew too long for comfort.

“Okay, well I love you. Stay safe little junimo.”

“Okay grandma, I love you too. Give grandpa a kiss for me.”  
  


~O~

  
The shed was sealed shut. Vines trapped the door fast against the walls, but after several resounding kicks and wrenching at the growing creeper she managed to break through.  
  
The shears were the easiest to locate, rusty and old but still good, and she cut and slashed until her grandmother’s fountain was uncovered.

~O~  
  
“I don’t think I can go visit dad, finals are coming up…”  
  
“I know, I know, I’ll tell them.”

“Ahhhh. I’ll give them a call, it should probably come from me. I just don’t have time right now, maybe this summer…”  
  
~O~  
  


She sat on the stoop, panting. Her sweat lined hair had slipped from her ponytail, and her muscles felt warm with exertion. But the fountain was clear once more.

~O~

“He’s sick, Selene. Real sick. They aren’t sure how much time he has left.”  
  


She was on a bus in the next two hours. She didn’t remember to call into work until she had already gotten there, huffing as she jogged down the old path to her childhood home.

When she got there, her grandma answered the door looking pale.

He had slipped away during the night.

She called out the rest of the week.

Her grandmother left their bedroom shut and came to join her on the pull-out couch. As they laid there, holding each other’s hands, she felt the guilt come up all at once.

“I’m so sorry I stayed away all this time.”  
  
“Shh, it’s okay. We were never upset darling.” She pulled something from her nightdress pocket, crinkled and waterlogged, and tucked it into her hand. Selene gripped it, holding it over her heart as she embraced her.

Her parents were there the next day.

The funeral not long after, which almost the entire town attended. Her grandfather was entombed in the cliffs not far from their home, where not far beyond rolled the ocean. Beloved as he was, many kind words and stories were shared. Selene felt like she should say something, but ultimately remained by her grandmother. She couldn’t string together words that would express how she felt, not now, maybe not ever.

It was decided her grandmother and her would return to her parents’ home in the city. Her parents stayed behind to help wrap up loose ends. The letter was shuffled and forgotten.

It was a good few years after that.

Her grandmother clung on, but was never quite the same after grandpa died. Being away from home and replacing it with the hustle of Zuzu city didn’t seem to help, though she smiled and laughed with them just the same.

It was a few years later that she slipped away in her sleep, just after the feast of the winter star.

She was entombed next to her husband. The house was boarded up.

And Selene retreated into her work for two long years, slaving away until she had nothing left to give.

That is until a man named Lewis called her, asking her about her inheritance and when she would come to claim it. She tore apart her apartment, finding the letter tucked away. Guilt had stopped her from opening it, and time had made her forget about it entirely.

She wept at her grandfathers words, written in the shaky hand that had been the norm in his last days. He had loved her, always, when she there and away. He wouldn’t forgive her, because there was nothing to forgive, though he knew she would ask for it. Knew she would feel guilty for missing so much time. He wanted to see her live, and flourish, and she had done that and so much more. He was proud. Proud of _her._  
  


And when she finally got to the last page, everything, the house, the land, all of it. Her grandfather’s signature. Her grandmother’s. Enough money she could leave her shit job. And underneath it all on the witness line, Mayor F. Lewis.  
  


~O~

I didn’t have this chapter originally, but I feel like tonally it was necessary to have a touch of exposition for Selene before I jump straight into her new life-it just read wrong without it. Thanks for reading!


	3. Excavation

She should have seen it coming.

It starts as a tickle in the space behind her left eye. In a few hours she’s sneezing. A lot.  
  
Fair enough, the house was ancient. There were some spots where she would need to have Robin do a consultation, like the uneven living room floor, but nothing too dangerous. After moving in her luggage, she had spent an entire day prying open windows, scrubbing floors, and sanitizing every surface she could find. In the back of the home the old greenhouse needed a deep clean, so she mentally began her tomorrow list. She dragged the likely hundred-year-old mattresses out of the house and reminded herself to see about ordering new ones eventually. After some work she managed to locate the circuit box, and with some trouble the lights were back on. Everything she could fit into the washer was thrown in. In the meantime, she filled the old clawfoot tub with the hottest water she could manage and scrubbed everything down with a washboard she found in the shed out back. Everything was hung out to dry on the line (which also needed to be excavated from the greenery) and she was left with a sense of accomplishment. Not to mention a clean home. So, it was to her surprise that after a hot shower and spending the night on the couch, she woke to a rash that spanned her entire body.

  
~O~

  
“Do you have any known allergies? Or have you come into recent contact with any plants?” Doctor Harvey queried, his gloved hands tenderly examining the raised flesh on her arm. Selene broke out of her reverie, blushing. From his name she had imagined someone old and enfeeble, not this boyishly handsome man with a head full of chocolate curls. It also didn’t help that he was so close, making her head swim with cedar and rain and warmth. She made another mental note to get out more often once things were up and running.

“No to the allergies, and possibly? I did wear gloves.” She hummed. He nodded, green eyes squinting in concentration. A few stay waves fell onto his forehead and she exhaled.   
  
“Some discomfort I take it?” He looked up, smiling apologetically. “And you said it extends to the rest of you?” Her blush increased, hyper aware as his eyes briefly flickered down. She thanked Yoba that the rash hid it well.

“Yes, it does! You can take my word for it; it looks the same as my arm.” She chuckled and he removed the gloves with a snap and deposited them in the receptacle.

“Well I’m going to prescribe you with a topical antihistamine. You can take this note over to Pierre next door and he’ll get you all sorted. If it persists, come on back and we can do a shot and schedule an allergy test. Sound good?” He smiled at her, and she felt a second wave of heat come on.

“That sounds great.” He gestured to the door and guided her back out to the waiting room, folding his hands into the front pockets of his knitted cardigan.   
  
“Do you need anything else from me Doctor?”

“You should be all set.” He glanced over her paperwork she had filled out, and the medical transfer request form she had signed that would give him access to her records from Zuzu city. “But if I have any problems I know where to find you.” He chuckled with a polite grin.

“Okay, sure.” Selene began fumbling for her wallet, and he waved a hand to stop her.

“Don’t worry about that. Consider it a welcome present, besides, it’ll take ages for this dinosaur to boot up and let me run your paperwork.” He patted the old desktop with a grin.

“Oh, well in that case maybe I can bring you some coff-“At that moment the door burst open and a gust of warm air entered the clinic. A young lady in a tailored nurse coat entered, her hands full of two to-go cups and a sagging paper bag.

“I’m back from the Saloon! Gus sent along a couple of scones for a new recipe he’s trying so I thought you’d like to give them a taste test-OH!” She settled everything on the counter, her attention turning to the newcomer. “You must be the new neighbor! Pleased to meet you, I’m Maru, Robin’s daughter.” She was reaching to shake hands when Selene cried out.

“Oh no!” she held up the red fingers and wiggled them. “Better not, got a bit of a rash going. It’s nice to meet you Maru, I’m Selene.”

“A rash huh? Good thing the clinic is so close to your farm then!” She turned to the man in question where he froze mid guzzle.

“Thanks Maru, I don’t know what I would do without you.” He warmed at her answering smile, and Selene felt her cue to leave come.

“We’ll I’ll see you both later, thank you again Doctor Harvey, and see you around Maru!” She backed out the door, hoping no one else was in Pierre’s to see her in this state.

As luck would have it, it was early enough that only Pierre was in the shop. He passed her the ointment with a wince from under the counter.

“If you’d like you’re welcome to use the customer bathroom, just make sure to leave it the way you found it.” He remarked, counting out her gold. She thanked him and did just that, unable to wait any longer when relief was so close. Once she was an oily mess, she tucked the tube into her bag, and carefully opened the door with a paper tower, only to immediately bump into Mayor Lewis.

“Miss Le Deux! It’s so good to see you again!” He immediately began talking animatedly about a pet project, gesturing for her to follow and she went out of politeness, nodding every so often and holding her arms out awkwardly.

“This is the old community center. Come on in dear, it’s structurally sound.” She found that hard to believe, taking in the hole in the ceiling and the rotting floorboards.

“This place used to be the lifeblood of the community. A real hotspot. But in the past few years it’s fallen to ruin and we don’t have the funds to set it to rights. Joja Corp keeps sending me letters proposing to buy the land, but I’ve been holding off.” He scratched at his short beard, watching a few petals flutter through the natural skylight. “That’s why I thought I’d show you this place. I don’t know if you ever saw it as a child, but your grandpa had a real knack for these things, you might surprise yourself in how much you take after him.” He turned and gave her a knowing look before his eyes traveled to the slick that covered her visible skin with surprise.

“Oh dear, did you have a run in with the sumac? Best hurry home and not touch anything. Come on over to my house for a visit after you’re recovered. We have matters to discuss.” He tipped his hat to her and made his way to leave, leaving a very confused Selene.

She looked around, absent mindedly scratching the raised flesh on her arm. Why on earth would the man expect her to be able to fix this? She had no understanding of woodworking, she couldn’t even manage the repairs on her own home by herself.  
  
The walk back was longer than she remembered, and while the medicine did seem to numb the itch, she found the heat had retreated into her muscles and left a dull throbbing ache. When she got home, she tossed down her bag and laid out a towel on her sofa so she could take an afternoon nap. Yoba knows she needed it.

~O~

Harvey felt the hot flush that descended like a burn. She was here, after all this time she had returned home. It had taken all his training and bedside manner to maintain a professional demeanor. The woman that observed his every habit, who he greeted in the morning over coffee, and wished goodnight was here before him. Of course she had no idea that he had her picture upstairs. That sometimes he talked to it when he was feeling especially lonely. That maybe he watched documentaries and reruns of comedies with it sitting on his coffee table when he couldn’t sleep.

Should he find a way to get it back to her? Harvey huffed and flipped the clinic’s switch light off before heading up the stairs to his loft. How would that go over?

 _“Hello, yes I know we just met, but you see I’ve had this picture of you for awhile now and figured you might like it back…”_ Harvey shuddered at the thought. Certainly not. And he couldn’t imagine how strange it would be to walk all the way out to her property only to get caught with the thing. He plucked the aforementioned picture from his coffee table and studied it. He’d since gotten a little piece of glass cut for the frame to protect it, and he traced the familiar curve of her face.

She didn’t have to know he had it did she? What harm was it to have an old picture? With a great sigh he pushed it away from himself, sliding it across the counter and opening the fridge. She was his patient now; he couldn’t allow something like this to affect his work. He worked the buttons of the microwave with one hand, the familiar worn buttons guiding him to the correct settings. When it shrieked its completion, he plopped the burning plastic onto a plate and carried it and the picture to his living room sofa. Flipping on the tube and tuning out whatever was on he knew what he needed to do.

He had to take the picture back, tonight.

~O~

Since this is my first time using this site, does anyone know how the beta process works? I remember it being easy back in my fanfiction.net days, but now I’m just not sure.

Also, fun fact, Selene was orginally named Esme. So if you ever see a sneaky little Esme that I haven't edited out, that's why! When I first started writing this it was in snippets in one large word doc, so some parts are recycled from there. ^-^

Thanks for reading as always, it makes my day <3  
  
  



	4. Waking up the Blood

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for violent sickness. If you would like to skip it please scroll down to the page marker: ~O~

Selene woke to moonlight streaming in through the window and shivered at the cool air that had settled on her skin. She arched, stretching out and feeling her achy muscles protest. Nothing a warm bath wouldn’t fix. Slowly she padded towards the bathroom, peeling off sticky layers as she went. She worked the old knobs of the tub before examining herself in the bathroom mirror. Her rash seemed to have subsided, which she was grateful for.

With a sigh she tested the water with her hand and frowned. The small room was getting steamy and the stuffy air made her short of breath. Cold as she had been moments ago, she felt a molten heat settling deep in her muscles. A shudder wracked her body and she doubled over as something in her stomach clenched and _twisted._

Selene let out a hiss between her teeth and managed to brace one arm against the sink as another convulsion wracked her body. A second stronger wave of heat struck, and a sheen of sweat prickled on her forehead. She tried to rise, catching a glimpse of her pale face, and crumpled. Her already pale complexion had turned ashen, the circles under her eye’s purple bruises and her lips pale and chapped. She wheezed as something hot and liquid shot up her spine and she lurched forward, her feet going out from under her as she caught herself on her knees and forearms. Through a flash of clarity, she realized she had slipped, and the tub was currently overflowing. Gingerly she eased forward, unable to unfold herself as she felt another white-hot cord weave itself through her ribs and up and around her throat. She gasped for breath, feeling her veins bulge in her neck and the blood pooling in her head like champagne behind a cork.

“Yo-ba…f” her fingers strained for the faucet, and she slowly inched out of the fetal position as she leaned over the tub. Then, like a gunshot, her spine wrenched with a loud _crack_ , and Selene slid into the tub, sending a wave of water onto the tile floor.

  
  
~O~

The long walk was not an unfamiliar one, and one he found enjoyable. As he left the town’s lampposts behind and was guided by the light of the moon, all was peaceful. Frogs croaked, cicadas hummed, and what had initially a year ago sent a thrill of fear through him was now nothing more than a source of comfort. A year ago he’d had a small awakening, realized that if he wanted to maintain spry and healthy he’d have to start putting in some effort for himself.

He’d joined in on the local calisthenics class (which was as close to a gym as pelican town had) and even ordered a set of small weights through Pierre. But his favorite thing were the walks. Initially he had just started around the plaza, enjoying the gardens Evelyn so carefully managed, until he was brave enough to venture out further. He started following the river, as he frequently saw Demetrius do, and it dawned on him just how beautiful the local scenery was. He happened upon a lake in the mountains, and like a child had laughed as the spray of the waterfall tickled his face. He grew bolder and went through woods and meadows, letting his mind wander, or sometimes carrying a book with him for the cloudy days. At night when he couldn’t sleep, he sometimes ventured back to the old farm, wearing a path in the grass until the dirt welcomed him. In return he regained a firmness in his midsection, and when he went down a few sizes in pants, well. If he felt a little more attractive for it, that was fine. He wouldn’t admit what had sparked the change in his habits when Maru had interrogated him.

He startled as a quiet, distant cry echoed through the wood and felt the small hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He waited, chilled, and listened to an owl hoot before he reluctantly began walking again. Likely some poor creature meeting its end. Though rare, there were bears and other such predators to be wary of. Thinking of wariness, the unmarked envelope sat in his cardigan pocket, a literal white flag that marked his cowardice. He’d considered everything-a note explaining the situation, an anonymous “This belongs to you,” and even just writing her name, clear and simple.

Selene. Beautiful Selene with her dark waves and doe eyes.

Dear Yoba he was a fool.

He took a deep breath and looked up to see the home’s finial piercing the moon. It had risen to it’s zenith, and the bright light cast a glow around the roof cap. He was so close, it would be silly to turn back now. The yew trees that seemed to populate the land here began to grow tighter, though the once overgrown garden was cleared enough he could make his way up the house without ruining his pants. As he drew closer, he felt a sense of relief and a tingle of excitement to see a faint light on in the upstairs window. The warm hue cast a golden stripe across the front path, and he walked through it willingly. He saw no mailbox, and to his chagrin he realized there was a brass mail slot on the door.

He went up the steps gingerly, careful not the make a sound, before gently opening the screen door and kneeling. The old thing slot was tight, and he worked his fingers against it until it gave way, a draft of cool air brushing his knuckles. Reluctantly he moved to place the envelope in and yelped in surprise when something sharp swiped it from his grasp. He fell backwards and watched the envelope jerk violently several times against the slot, before the dark shadow managed to swallow it entirely. His jaw worked uselessly, his blood running cold, and he stumbled to his feet, eyes wide on the door.

_Guuahrrgggle._

He froze, eyebrows high as his eyes slowly slid to the right, where a window sash parted. Two eyes glowed in the darkness, impossibly wide and settled on him. The shape of it was indecipherable, like smoke trying to fill a space, before it seemed to slide out of the window like pitch. He gulped, nearly falling as one foot slid back and fell through the space where the stair began. He blinked owlishly, in the dark he could only make out its eyes, and the strange liquid movement of it, jumping back into the full square of light cast by the upstairs window. The shape gurgled, and slumped down the stairs, like something from the late-night shows that he was too afraid to watch alone.

He looked around for a weapon, and seeing none froze as the blob hesitated, before stepping into his wall of light and blinking dazedly.

“Oh.” He breathed, taking in the sweet creature. A cat, it’s fur an elegant black and it’s eyes a warm honey swayed before him, its legs shaking like they were made of jelly.

“Hello there little guy. I must’ve scared you just as much as you scared me.” He knelt, gently offering his curled hand to it in greeting. The cat shuddered, inhaling deeply before closing it’s eyes. Harvey went to stroke the soft fur around its face and was surprised to find it was slick with water and icy to the touch. A broken purr met his ears and it nuzzled into his hand weakly.

“I’m no vet, but that’s a good way to get hypothermia.” He murmured. Slowly, so as to not scare the creature, he went to remove his cardigan, so he could wrap the poor thing to warm up. As if sensing his line of thought it’s eyes shot open, pupils turning to slits and it took off between his legs with a vigor he hadn’t expected.

He scrambled to his feet and gave chase, running through the garden paths, eyes watering as a cold breeze picked up and his heart clenched with distress.

“Wait, come back, please! Come here!” He cried out, desperate as the cat weaved through bushes and darkness, only to catch his shoe against a paver and be sent spiraling.

He winced as he pulled his half on sweater from the bushes, moving into sitting position and looking into the woods where he had last seen the shadow disappear. The knee of his khaki’s was torn, his shoes scuffed, and he’d skinned his palms.

He felt unbelievably foolish. And lonelier than ever.

~O~

Harvey :c you pure bean.

I think I struggled a lot more with this chapter than I expected. Realizing I don’t really know how to capture violence in a way that is informative and relays emotion? I tried, I just hope it still makes sense!  
  
I also might be coming down with something, though hopefully not -the- thing, but it hopefully won’t affect the Monday updates.


	5. Strange Happenings

She came to feeling with a throbbing pain she could feel all the way down to her _teeth._

“Get up, I don’t have all day.” A jab in her side made her hiss, and she shot up before immediately regretting it with scream.

She was naked. Under a dark velvet cape. Lying in the middle of the woods, the grass thick and soft and the golden dappled light flickering and in front of the strangest man she’d ever seen. He wore magenta suede boots, that seemed to have been pulled from some kind of reptile. Pants like a night sky shimmered in the soft breeze, and on top of his purple goateed head he wore a velvet cowboy hat. His eyes, a strange milky pink that reflected the light were staring at her with thinly veiled disdain. He sat on an old ruined wall with one leg thrown over the other, and in his hand the end of a hookah pipe whose cord disappeared into his flowing shirt. She had already decided to bolt, but a wave of nausea struck first and she gagged.

“If you’re going to purge please do it away from my shoes, thank you.”

“Ughhh…I feel like my head is going to burst…” Selene gurgled and rolled onto her stomach and thanked Yoba that nothing seemed to be coming up.

“Ah yes, I remember my first time. Projection of the inner form into a new material can be exhausting. Still, it shouldn’t take this long for you to recover, unless you misarranged your organs on the way in.”

“What,” Selene sat up, clutching the cape closer, “are you talking about? And who are you?”

He drew in a deep breath and exhaled a smokey serpent that twisted in the air before misting out.

“You may refer to me as Rasmodius. And manifestation of the familiar, predestination of the blood, nay glamor nor prestidigitation.” He winked, taking another long drag, and blew a lazy circle in her direction.

“I don’t think I have the…the capacity for this right now. Can you be a little more to the point?” She growled, using her hand to wave the smoke from around her face.

“Mmph. Very well.” With that he sat up with a flourish of his hand, vanishing away his pipe. He turned on his heel, his cape swaying dramatically.

“No, wait! I’m sorry, I’m very confused. What did you mean?” He glanced over her shoulder at her, one finger motioning for her to follow, and with a twist of his wrist the pipette was suddenly a cane. He marched into the thick foliage, and it parted to allow him to pass unhindered. Selene struggled to her feet and went after him, holding the cape closed.

“It’s been many years since I met one of your kind.”

“What, a woman?”

He scoffed, before something almost serious replaced the expression.

“What do you remember from last night?”

Selene frowned, staring up at the light passing through the leaves.

“I remember…coming home, feeling sick, taking a nap. And then…waking up here.”

“You’re lucky I got to you first. Your magic was fluctuating so wildly you could’ve gotten yourself killed.” She gaped in response.

“Magic? And what do you mean, like whatever happened last night could’ve killed me?”

“No, no. The change is in your blood. A trait of the fae, a heirloom from your grandmother. Though she managed it with a great deal more elegance than you did. What I was referring to was the oscillations of energy you were flailing about. That sort of behavior tends to attract attention.”

Her jaw dropped yet again as she tried to process what he was telling her. Fae blood, her grandmother? Unwilling to confront that she instead focused on the current circumstances.

“From people like you?”

“Sometimes. But mostly those looking to sate their hunger.” A chill run down her spine at the sudden gravely quality of his voice. The thicket had grown dark, thorns and vines twisting to rise out of their way to block out the golden light from above. She stopped walking abruptly, and without warning so did he.

“And how do I know you’re not hungry?”

“The Le Deux’s I knew would have taught their granddaughter better manners.” He chided, and though he didn’t turn to look at her, she didn’t feel safer for it.

“Don’t be foolish Selene. If I wanted you dead I had plenty of time while you were convulsing in a puddle of sweat.” His words hung in the air, and after a long pause he turned to look at her, his milky eyes flashing.

“Follow or do not. But you won’t find anyone else but I who can you give you the answers you seek.” He continued forward, cane swishing confidently in the air.

The tunnel felt like it was shrinking, and maybe it was. Or growing bigger, she couldn’t tell. She could follow, put her faith in this man who said he knew her grandparents. Find answers to what had happened to her.

Before she realized it she was running.

Eyes burning.

A blur of purple and green, red and heat swirling away.

~O~

Okay.

  
Visually Rasmodius is a cross between a 70’s pimp, and a gorgeous gay cowboy and no one can tell me otherwise.

Also, guys, this chapter was ROUGH. Writing it was a pain, because I ended up having to rewrite it several times after realizing I had problems that would later affect the plot…the holes alone…I just. Don’t squint too hard at it, hah. It’s been too long and I’m not clever enough for this draft ;-; And it’s shorter than I’d like but dang it, something is better than nothing at all right? We’ll have some Harvey next chapter! <3


	6. Distress

Sixty minutes is a long time. About a minute to walk upstairs and grab his boxed lunch out of the fridge. Three and a half minutes to heat it and almost the same amount of time to swallow it down. One more and the tray is washed, the box broken down and stacked neatly on the growing pile on top of his recycling bin.

That used to leave him with fifty minutes to do nothing. And then, he would have gone back to the clinic to do nothing for a few more hours, and then return to his apartment to eat dinner, and then do nothing before sleeping off his loneliness. At least when her picture was there, he would have had someone to do nothing with…he shook his head at the thought.

Now was different. Breaks were a time to get out. He couldn’t hide away any longer.

His large window, which was his favorite part of his apartment, opened out straight to the woods and showed a huge strip of sky. From what he could see there was only cheerful blue, and he made his decision. 

Ten minutes later he’s made it to Marnie’s, and was surprised to see her and Leah already out front. Marnie was messing with a cage of some sort, and Leah was perched on her fence.

“Good afternoon ladies!”

“Doctor Harvey!” Marnie paused in her efforts and wiped the sweat from her forehead while Leah waved.

“It’s good to see you, Doc. What brings you this way?”

“Thought I’d pay a house visit to Shane-see how he’s doing. If I may ask, what is that you’re messing with?”

“Well this morning while I was taking a stroll, I saw this cat shoot down the trail. Little scruffy thing.” Leah supplied.

“Mhm. I’m going to try and catch it so I can make sure it’s okay. Might keep it, or put it up for adoption. I’m not sure yet.”

“A black cat?”

“Yes that’s right, have you seen it too?” Leah asked excitedly.

He nodded. “I thought I saw one while taking a walk. Scared the daylights out of me.” His chest clenched and he frowned. Had he scared off Selene’s cat? Was she worried, wondering where it was? All because he had snuck onto her property to return something he had stolen? His stomach rolled with anxiety.

“You’ll let me know if you catch it, won’t you?”

Marnie looked up, a twinkle in her eye. “Oh, I didn’t know you were interested in animals. Thinking about hiring a little friend over at the clinic?”

“I, I honestly hadn’t thought of it. I’ve never had a pet before, I’m not sure I could give it the time it needs since I’m needed so much in the clinic.”

Marnie scoffed, yanking the traps door and forcing it into shape. “Not at all, cats are very independent. Just make sure it has access to food and water, a litter box if it’s indoors, and you’re right as rain. No training needed.” Leah nodded in agreement.

“Tell you what. Shane is working in the barn. If you go back there you can probably meet a few barn cats, and see how you feel about them.”

He thanked her and squeezed through the gate, eager to check in on his most worrisome patient.

Maybe it would be nice to have someone to come home to? Someone real. Reliant on him, but different than his patients. Small and warm and soft…maybe he could do that.

~O~

Selene woke for the second time that day. Brick was digging into her back, and she looked around through blurry eyes. The old spotted glass, gone foggy with time, the wood and concrete shelves. She thought the plants would have died without anyone to care for them, until she spotted the broken planes in the roof where the elements poured in. Her grandmother’s prized greenhouse, a veritable jungle now. She used to love it as a child, clinging to her grandmothers’ dress and hiding under the shelves and pretending it was a forest. Only, she couldn’t remember coming here.

Wracking her brain brought forth no answers. She had run from...the wizard? And then? Nothing.

She sat up to her muscles protest, and it just compounded on the hurt she felt everywhere else. She let the tears finally fall; massaged the palms of her hands into her eyes. Heaved a cry of frustration.

She needed to accept that something was wrong. Very wrong. The wizard had been right about one thing, and she needed help. But she had more pressing things to deal with, taking in her bare form and managing to feel embarrassed.

“One step at a time.” she muttered. She made her way to the door, side stepping plants and broken glass, and seeing that it was stuck in place, managed to squeeze through it without getting a splinter or cutting herself. Wrapping an arm around her chest and ignoring the burn of embarrassment she was grateful for the near waist high grass as she made her way to the back porch. Her grandparents had always kept an old key in the flower pot, and she is grateful for it now.

The bathroom was a mess. She remembered glimpses through the fever, the tub overflowing, slipping on the tiles. It both reassured and unnerved her to see the evidence still there. The tub was full to the brim with chilly bathwater, and the floor was slick around the tub. Throwing down some old towels and pulling the drain she settled on taking a quick sponge bath. The water was warm enough to make her sigh in relief, and she dipped the wash cloth in and dragged it across her neck, arms, and legs, until she was presentable. Then she whipped a toothbrush across her teeth and called it good enough. Leaving the bathroom as it was she jogged to the living room where she kept her suitcase. Before she had left, she’d sold or donated the majority of her things. Ugly furniture she’d found in alleys and fixed up, a tv and mismatched dishware from her college days. She’d narrowed her whole world down to a duffle bag and despite there being multiple perfectly fine bedrooms upstairs she couldn’t imagine moving into one just yet.

Yanking out an old wrap dress she paused to trace the delicate flowers that adorned it. Grandma had always loved her in florals. Wrapping it around herself she appreciated how grounded the familiar texture made her feel. Running her hands though her wild hair to tame it she through it into a braid. Going to the door she pointedly ignored the small pile of mail gathering on her floor, and grabbed her sandals to began the walk to town.

~O~

“Fainting spells? Well you’ve had an eventful couple of days, it’s not often I see someone again so soon.” Doctor Harvey glanced at her worriedly as he looked over her paperwork.

“And how many spells have you had since arriving?”

“Two, I think. One last night and then again this morning.” He nodded, his brows furrowing. He pulled a pen light from his cardigan pocket and gestured with it.

“May I?” She nodded, and he gently held her chin, shining the light into her eyes. Up close she was overwhelmed once again by his smell and was almost annoyed. Did he cover himself in cologne to hide the smell of disinfectant or something?

“Open, please.” She jerked, and obliged, and he laid the thermometer under her tongue.

“Can you tell me what you were feeling up to the point of fainting?” Selene nodded, holding the thermometer in place so it wouldn’t budge.

“Last night I woke up with the chills. I went to take a bath and was sure I had a fever along with some intense stomach pain. I don’t really remember much after that. Then this morning…” She paused, considering if she should tell him that she had woken up in the middle of the woods in the company of a lunatic.

“This morning…?” He prompted gently, pulling the thermometer out and nodding to himself. His soft smile making a knot grow in her stomach.

“Your temperature is good.” He noted.

“I woke up and went for a run and blacked out again.”

“Well it’s good that you’re seeking exercise; but you moved in recently correct? I imagine that would be quite stressful. Have you been sleeping alright?”

She shrugged her shoulders. “I suppose. I mean, it’s fine…you know. Moving is always stressful, and it’s been a little sporadic.”

“And have you been eating?”

“I…” she trailed off, trying to remember her last meal. A couple of sandwiches on the bus ride sure, and then some crackers and snacks she’d had stuffed away in her bag here and there, but nothing sustaining.

Her silence seemed to tell him everything he needed, and he sank onto his rolling stool.

“I’m sorry to hear that, truly. I know it can’t be an easy time for you, and you’re probably very busy with your affairs and getting your home back in order. But balanced meals are necessary and combined with stress it’s a formula for disaster. You need to get some food in you asap.”

She nodded, feeling a bit silly. Of course she would faint if she wasn’t taking care of herself. She hasn’t been negligent like this since her college days, and falling into old habits bothers her more than she’s willing to admit to the man in front of her.

“As it stands, I was going to go to the Saloon for a bite when we closed, if you’d care to join me?” That grabbed her attention and she fought to hide the heat that rose in her face.

“Sure, I’d like that.”

He walked with her to the front door, and she waited while he locked the door behind him. He turned with a shy smile, ruffling his hair nervously.

“You really don’t have to, I know you’re busy.” Except that felt like a lie, she absolutely wants him to eat with her. But she wants him to want to, not to do it because he feels like he has to ensure his patient feeds herself.

“Humor me. Besides, I can’t remember the last time I had a meal with someone.” He smiled and feeling emboldened she looped her arm in his. In the spur of the moment she felt cheeky, genteel even, and she let herself chuckle while he looked pleasantly surprised.

“Careful now, you’ll get the towns’ ladies gossiping.”

“Because I’m walking with a friend? I think I can handle them.” She laughed freely, and his answering grin made her giddy. It was almost too easy to let the tension fade away as they walked, joking and enjoying the spring air.

But the saloon was all too close, and when she entered a petite blue haired woman whistled at them.

“Hey doc! Sit anywhere-I’ll get your usual ready!”

They slid into a booth and he accepted a cup of dark coffee a few moments later. She slid Selene a glass who took a sip of mango lemonade.

“You looked a little pale, some sugar should perk you right up. Gus is prepping in the back, are you guys ready to eat?”

The name rings a bell, and distant memories of sweet potato fries and hot dogs and a belly that jiggled when he laughed comes to mind. She’d have to stop by and say hello properly some time.

Harvey ordered a sandwich with a side of homemade chips, and Selene asks for the soup of the day, a creamy Toscana that made her stomach grumble.

“So can I ask what brought you to Pelican town? I mean, if that isn’t too personal.” He stuttered towards the end, taking a sip.

“It’s fine. I guess, I sort of felt a responsibility to come see my grandparents’ home when I realized it’d been sitting for so long. And, admittedly. I wasn’t…” she struggled with her words and he listened on patiently. “I don’t know. I was just going through the motions. Living to work. Wake up, work, come home, eat, sleep, do it all over again the next day. I didn’t feel like I was working towards anything. Just. A cog in the machine.” He nodded, his brows furrowing.

“I know exactly what you mean. Before I came here I worked in an ER in Zuzu city. It was…difficult…exhausting hours, the stress…I became a doctor because I wanted to help people. And I was. But one day I just couldn’t do it anymore, and I applied here that same night. I took over Doctor Stoney’s position and I’ve been here ever since.” He smiled into his coffee, but it didn’t reach his eyes.

“I see. What changed for you?” Their waitress was right, she did need the sugar. She felt more alert than she had in days. It must be the wrong thing to ask because his hand momentarily clenched around the cup, and he goes a little pale around the edges.

“I-I.” He fidgeted a moment before sinking into the booth. “I had a bad day. And I realized I wasn’t happy anymore. I needed something quieter. More prevention than emergency.”

“Somewhere you would have the time to get to know your patients?”

“Yes, exactly.” He looks a little relieved. They fall into an easy quiet, drinking their drinks, until their food is set down before them.

“Here you go you guys, enjoy!”

“Thank you, Emily.” They wasted no time in digging in, and Selene moaned as the creamy concoction slid down her throat.

“I didn’t expect this to be so good, Gus is quite the chef.” He nods, and looks like he’s practically melting around his Rueben

“Yoba, I know. The man has a gift.”

They finished eating in companionable silence and by the end he was wearing a satisfied smile that she’s sure she’s wearing too. The plates were cleared and when Emily brought the check she insisted on covering it.

“Please, you didn’t have to eat with me and you already helped me once before. It’s nothing, really.”

He looked a little sheepish, but left a generous tip on the table. She waved to Emily as they leave and standing outside she loathes the idea of parting just yet.

“Thanks again for eating with me. I think that was just what I needed.”

“It was my pleasure, truly. If you ever need an excuse to go to the saloon just let me know.” He’s all gentle smiles and kind words and she’s never wanted to lean into someone as much as she does right now.

“I could use a favor, actually. I need to go see Mayor Lewis, but I have no idea where he lives.”

“Ah, the town layout is a bit confusing. I could walk you there if you’d like. It’s not far.”

“Please, otherwise I’ll never find it.” She meant it, too.

The walk is almost embarrassingly short as he stops before a well-kept painted lady, the garden out front overflowing with flowers and herbs.

“Thanks Harvey, I appreciate it.” His answering smile is infectious.

“Of course, anytime. I’m here to help.” She turned to leave, but he called out to her.

“Wait, I know this is odd but-”

“Yes?” she asks, hopeful.

“Do you have a cat?” She’s honestly surprised and he looks a touch embarrassed, hands shoved into his pockets.

“No, I don’t, why?”

“No reason in particular. I was just wondering.” He waved goodbye and she entered the home alone, more than a little disappointed.

“Mayor Lewis?”

“In the study!” His voice sounded to her right, and she gaped at the interior. Rich woods and draperies, a large leather sofa and ornate rugs she recognized as hailing from the Gotoro empire. Beyond that everything was immaculately clean and proper. Not a vase sat out of place, it was like stepping into a museum. The door to his study was open, and she wasn’t surprised to see that his organization extended to this room as well. He was bent over a cherry desk, the window behind him open and letting in a cool draft. It seemed eerily symmetrical for her tastes, from the bookshelves on either side, to the twin globes depicting the Republic and the Empire on the corner of his desks.

He finished writing and looked up at her, his eyes crinkling with mirth.

“Something funny, sir?”

“For a second there, it was almost like seeing your grandfather again. I can’t tell you how many times he stood there, telling me about the farm and his projects, tracking in mud, pulling me away from my work. He had that sort of way about him, made you feel like an old friend no matter how long it had been since you’d seen each other.” He cleared his throat, sniffling once before adjusting the drawers of his desk.

“Were you good friends with my grandfather?” She asked carefully, sitting in the chair just opposite of him. He looked at her with large eyes, fingering the chain that hung from his vest.

“We were friends, yes.” He paused to blow his nose with a handkerchief he produced from his pocket. “Though I can’t say I was a good one. I don’t think we realize just how little time we have with the ones we care about until they’re gone.”

She nodded, something in her chest twisting at his words.

“I know. I wish he were still here too.” His moustache crinkled as he stared at the handkerchief, a pretty thing with flowers embroidered along the edge.

“When I heard about your grandmother it just near broke my heart. She was so kind, so beautiful. A graceful spirit. He loved her so much, I wonder if that was why she went so soon.” She swallowed the bitterness that rose up at his words.

“Well, whatever the case, at least they’re together now.”

“Of course.” He nodded, producing an envelope from a drawer. “Enough of the waterworks though, we’ve got business to discuss.”

He produced paper after paper, unfolding and unrolling and _tisking_ away until the desk was littered with paperwork. Deeds, certificates of purchase, and enough legal jargon to make her head hurt.

He pushed up his glasses as they examined her grandfather’s proper will.

“As you already know, the property is in your name. Any assets therein are thereby yours. The land, which extends from the property line here-” he pointed on a map. “and here, are yours to do with what you wish.”

“Alright, thanks, but I already knew that. Is that all we had to go over?”

“Not quite. There is the matter of your inheritance.”

“There’s something else?”

“Yes.” He pulled out a stack of envelopes wrapped in twine, and dropped it onto the table.

“Your grandfather had a trust established for you.” He began flipping through envelopes, searching for something. Selene gaped, falling back into her chair.

“He did?” she said weakly.

“Mhm…ah! Here it is!” He handed it to her oblivious of her shell-shocked state. “You will receive…two thousand gold per month for the first year, starting from the date you take the home upon yourself, and that will continue until your third year.”

She was grateful that he was summarizing because she couldn’t have understood what he was looking at even if she wanted to.

“Upon the third year, should you satisfy his requirements, the rest of the trust will be relinquished to you to be used at your discretion.” That grabbed her attention, and she lurched forward to grip the edge of his desk.

“The rest? What requirements?” He looked at her, something unrecognizable hovering in his expression.

“Perhaps it would be best if you read that letter. I think there’s a lot there you need to hear from him directly.” He smiled kindly, leaning forward to squeeze her arm. She examined the letter, recognizing the heavy stationary from her grandfather’s study.

“Thank you, Mayor Lewis.”

“Of course.” He said, momentarily surprised. She stood to leave, her mind buzzing with options.

“Miss Le Deux?” Selene turned to look at him, a little surprised to hear the title.

“I know it’s not any of my business, but what do you plan to do with the property?” She stepped back into the room, drumming her fingers on the back of the chair.

“To be honest, I’m not sure. It’s so much to take care of on my own…I don’t know if I’d be able to keep up with it.”

He nodded, something close to pity in the line of his brows.

“I understand, allow me to walk you out.” It was a short distance, but he insisted, and as she stood on his stoop, looking into the woods where the river burbled, she mused.

What did she plan to do with the house?

“Have you gotten around to looking around the community center?”

“I haven’t, sorry.” She might be on the verge of losing her sanity, but why mention it when there was a damn center to fix?

“Since it’s on the way home would you mind taking a peak and making sure that those young folks haven’t squirreled their way in? They call it _urban exploration_. Easy way to get hurt I tell you.” She agreed and he tipped his cap, leaving her alone with her thoughts.

~O~

Hey guys! Sorry for the late upload, I’ve been working doubles everyday now for the last two weeks and I didn’t feel like this chapter was really where I wanted it to be in time for last Monday. (Also I’m dead tired but it’s fine).

Because I’m working multiple jobs to supplement lost work (corona be like that) I might move my schedule to every other Monday, so I have time to be alive and make sure each chapter is where I want it to be. In order to make this not suck, I was thinking I could make each chapter longer, that way you guys are getting more content for the extra week. (Not just combining chapters though, but like fleshing it out more if that makes sense?) Anyway, please let me know how that sits with you if you’re following this story!

Thanks and sorry if I let anyone down! <3


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